Ginger Scones

If a scone is tender on the inside, and not at all hard or dried out, does it still qualify as a scone? I hope so, because that’s exactly what is happening with these ginger scones.

My brother’s girlfriend Shelley brought a batch by the other day and I couldn’t stop eating them. She had fallen in love with ginger scones at a local bakery and balked at paying $5 a piece for them, so came up with her own terrific recipe.

These scones are dotted with sweet bits of candied ginger, and there is some lemon zest for a little lemony kick as well. I’ve made only the slightest adjustments to Shelley’s recipe. She uses a combination of 2 cups of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of all purpose, where I found I liked a version with just all purpose flour better. Feel free to swap out as much as two thirds of the flour with whole wheat if you prefer using whole wheat flour. (If you do so, you may need to add a little more buttermilk).

Prep:10 minutes

Cook:20 minutes

Yield:Makes 12 scones.

As with any baking recipe that relies to some degree on the leavening power of baking powder, make sure you are using relatively fresh baking powder. Baking powder that is older than six months tends to be flat. So, mark your can with the date you bought it, and then replenish when it is over 6 months old.

* If you don't have buttermilk you can substitute with a Tbsp of lemon juice and 3/4 cup minus one tablespoon of regular milk.

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F (or 200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2 In a large bowl vigorously whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the candied ginger, lemon zest, and fresh ginger until evenly mixed.

3 Create a well in the center of the flour, pour in the melted butter and the buttermilk. Gently mix with a wooden spoon until the flour mixture is just moistened. Don't over-mix! The mixture should look very shaggy.

4 Divide the mixture into two balls, and flatten each onto a floured surface into a 1-inch thick, 6-inch wide circle. Slice each round into 6 wedges. Transfer to the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spacing at least an inch apart. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

5 Bake at 400°F (or 200°C) for 18-20 minutes. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before eating.

To store, allow first to cool to room temperature, then seal in a freezer bag.